1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical instrument systems and, more particularly, to connector systems for selectively connecting electrosurgical instruments and electrosurgical generators to one another.
2. Background
Electrosurgical instrument systems have become widely used by surgeons in recent years. Accordingly, a need has developed for equipment that is easy to handle and operate, is reliable and is safe. By and large, most electrosurgical instrument systems typically include a hand-held electrosurgical instrument or pencil electrically connected to a source of electrosurgical energy (e.g., an electrosurgical generator). The electrosurgical instrument transfers radio-frequency (RF) electrical energy to a tissue site. The electrosurgical energy is returned to the electrosurgical generator via a return electrode pad positioned under a patient (i.e., a monopolar system configuration) or a smaller return electrode positionable in bodily contact with or immediately adjacent to the surgical site (i.e., a bipolar system configuration). The waveforms produced by the electrosurgical generator yield a predetermined electrosurgical effect known generally as electrosurgical fulguration.
Recently, electrosurgical instrument systems have been increasingly provided with coupling and/or connecting systems (e.g., a plug) for removably connecting the electrosurgical instrument to the electrosurgical generator. Typically, the electrosurgical instrument is provided with a so called “male” connector while the electrosurgical generator is provided with the corresponding “female” connector.
Since electrosurgery requires controlled application of radio frequency energy to an operative tissue site, it is important that the appropriate electrosurgical generator be correctly and/or properly mated with the electrosurgical instrument for the specific electrosurgical procedure. Due to the variety of operative, electrosurgical procedures, requiring various levels of radio frequency energy delivery from an attached instrument, issues arise with the mismatching of electrosurgical instruments and electrosurgical generators.
Accordingly, a need exists for a connecting system, for electrosurgical generators which allow various surgical instruments to be selectively connected to corresponding electrosurgical generators.